Q & A Saturday

This Saturday's question comes from Twitter!

Q: Where does Canada stand in the world beef industry?

Canada is a unique beef producer because we rely heavily on our export markets. Over half of our cattle and beef are exported, with approximately 80-90% of it going to the US (CBEF, CanFax). We are a heavy world player in terms of beef production and have a small population, hence the large amount of exports.

Some stats to consider:

• As of January 1, 2011, there are 12 460 000 cattle in Canada, giving us the 12th largest cattle herd in the world.
•  Coming in at the top for cattle numbers , in order, are India, Brazil, and China.
• Canadians consume 28.90 kg/capita of beef and veal every year, making us 5th highest. 
• We only account for 3.3% of world cattle/beef imports.

(CanFax)

Photo Credit

It's pretty mindblowing to me that we Canadians produce almost 12 and a half million cattle each year with a population of only 33 million. That's one productive nation. And thousands of hard working farmers and ranchers making sure that the beef sent to feed other countries is of high quality, safe, and nutritious. So not only is your neighbor the feedlot owner working to feed your community, but communities around the world. Pretty cool, hey? Let me know if you have any questions, or would like some more info on Canadian beef.